Last Hour

The younger group hit the field this morning for its last training of the week before head coach Pia Sundhage releases some players and combines the two groups (younger players and veterans) who have been training separately. It was a last chance for some of the players to make an impact on Sundhage, who watched the yellow team defeat the blue team on two goals from Natasha Kai. The 60-minute game was intense, as one would imagine with roster spots on the line, and a fine conclusion to a very hard week of training. Defender Heather Mitts, in her first training camp after coming from ACL surgery, sat out the scrimmage to nurse a mild muscle pull, but defender Cat Whitehill came in from the other group and played the full hour, testing her ankle that she sprained in China before the Four Nations Tournament. Whitehill looked good, winning tackles and sending several of her patented week-side long balls over the defense. The veteran group has a training session this afternoon, then Friday will be a well-deserved day off. The team returns to training on Sunday afternoon as one group.